Patricia Willis

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Patricia Henrichs Willis

Mississippi State Representative
for District 95 (Hancock
and Harrison counties)
In office
June 2013 – January 2020
Preceded by Jessica Sibley Upshaw (died in office)
Succeeded by Jay McKnight
Born February 27, 1953
New Orleans, Louisiana
Citizenship American
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Family information missing
Children  
Residence Diamondhead
Hancock County
Mississippi
Alma mater Mississippi State University

Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

Occupation Lawyer
Religion Presbyterian

Patricia Henrichs Willis (born February 27, 1953) is a lawyer from Hancock County, Mississippi, who was from 2013 to 2020 the Republican state representative for District 95, which encompasses Hancock and Harrison counties on the Gulf Coast.[1]

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Willis received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University at Starkville and a law degree from Loyola University in New Orleans. She is a Presbyterian. She resides in Diamondhead, Mississippi, and is a member of the Republican Women's Clubs for Hancock and Harrison counties.[2] 

In a special election held on May 28, 2013, Willis defeated three opponents to claim the District 95 House seat. She received 52.5 percent of the ballots cast.[3] The seat was vacated by the death of the Republican incumbent, Jessica Sibley Upshaw (1959-2013), also an attorney from Diamondhead. Upshaw suffered from depression and committed suicide at the home of a boyfriend.[4] In the 2015 primary and general election, Willis ran without opposition.[5]

Willis serves on these House committees: (1)  Drug Policy (chairman), (2) Corrections, (3) Gaming, (4) Judiciary B, (5) Marine Resources, (6) Military Affairs, (7) Ports, Harbors, and Airports, and (8) Tourism.[2] In 2014, Representative Willis co-sponsored the legislation to restrict abortions in Mississippi to twenty weeks of gestation. In 2015, she voted to permit "wrongful death" lawsuits regarding the unborn. In 2016, she voted against  dismemberment abortions in the state. She supported the expansion of exemptions for compulsory school vaccinations. She voted to grant civil and criminal immunity to those reporting what they believe are instances of terrorism. She voted to permit churches to have designated personnel with firearms for the overall protection of the congregation. She backed the bill to guarantee within Mississippi protections for religious beliefs and matters of moral conscience. In 2017, she supported the legislation which authorizes additional methods of execution in Mississippi and co-sponsored the measure to classify the killing of first responders as first-degree murder. She did not vote on the issue of increasing identification requirement for Medicaid.[6]

See also

Other Mississippi Republican state House members:

References

  1. ↑ Patricia Willis. Billstatus.ls.state.ms.us. Retrieved on October 13, 2017.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Patricia Willis' Biography. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on October 13, 2017.
  3. ↑ Election Returns. Mississippi Secretary of State (May 28, 2013). Retrieved on October 13, 2017.
  4. ↑ Jennifer Lenain (March 26, 2013). Upshaw's death an apparent suicide. Seacoastecho.com. Retrieved on October 13, 2017.
  5. ↑ General election returns. Mississippi Secretary of State (November 3, 2015). Retrieved on October 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ Patricia Willis' Voting Records. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on October 13, 2017.
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